Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To cause to lose spirit or enthusiasm; dishearten. synonym: discourage.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To depress the spirits of; deprive of courage; discourage; dishearten; deject; cast down.
  • To exhaust the spirits or bodily vigor of.
  • Synonyms To damp, depress, intimidate, daunt.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To deprive of cheerful spirits; to depress the spirits of; to dishearten; to discourage.
  • transitive verb Obs. or R. To distill or infuse the spirit of.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Lower the morale of; make despondent; dishearten.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb lower someone's spirits; make downhearted

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[di(s)– + spirit.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

dis- +‎ spirit

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Examples

  • Bill Kristol thinks that Obama now regretting "looking like a tax-and-spend liberal Democrat" is the very first White House concession that should dispirit lawmakers.

    TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads Jason Linkins 2010

  • Bill Kristol thinks that Obama now regretting "looking like a tax-and-spend liberal Democrat" is the very first White House concession that should dispirit lawmakers.

    TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads Jason Linkins 2010

  • We can't let the furious, intense opposition from Wall Street, the insurance companies, Big Oil and the far-right fringe discourage or dispirit us.

    Robert Creamer: 10-2-10 Rally Gives Progressives a Chance to Stand Up Straight Robert Creamer 2010

  • Bill Kristol thinks that Obama now regretting "looking like a tax-and-spend liberal Democrat" is the very first White House concession that should dispirit lawmakers.

    TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads The Huffington Post News Team 2010

  • Bill Kristol thinks that Obama now regretting "looking like a tax-and-spend liberal Democrat" is the very first White House concession that should dispirit lawmakers.

    TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads Jason Linkins 2010

  • After all, although there is much to dispirit us with the state of our school system, it does educators no good to assume these ills have merely been "imposed upon them," and that they have no choice but to keep hoping, as passive victims, that better days lie ahead.

    Sam Chaltain: What's Your Declaration of Education? Sam Chaltain 2011

  • While the Republicans still have failed to cultivate a national identity, still fielding posers for presidential notions, they have been able to ride a tide plucking on that anger, dissent and dispirit.

    B.D. Gallof: One Year Ago, No Different Than Today: A Political Observation B.D. Gallof 2010

  • His attitude and approach threatens to dispirit further not just his base but all Americans.

    Bob Jacobson: The President Is Dispiriting Bob Jacobson 2010

  • After all, although there is much to dispirit us with the state of our school system, it does educators no good to assume these ills have merely been "imposed upon them," and that they have no choice but to keep hoping, as passive victims, that better days lie ahead.

    Sam Chaltain: What's Your Declaration of Education? Sam Chaltain 2011

  • Bill Kristol thinks that Obama now regretting "looking like a tax-and-spend liberal Democrat" is the very first White House concession that should dispirit lawmakers.

    TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads Jason Linkins 2010

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